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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29302218">strawberry blossoms</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryphonfeather/pseuds/gryphonfeather'>gryphonfeather</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Arithmancy (Harry Potter), Bisexual Harry Potter, Competence Kink, First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Gryffindor Harry Potter, Harry Potter &amp; Tom Riddle Attend Hogwarts Together, Herbology, M/M, Oblivious Harry, Possessive Tom Riddle, Soft Harry Potter, Soft Tom Riddle, Study of Ancient Runes (Harry Potter), Tomarry Valentine’s Exchange 2021, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, i'm going to make that a tag i swear, just a lil bit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:34:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,227</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29302218</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryphonfeather/pseuds/gryphonfeather</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom's asked Harry out on a first date for Valentine's Day. Where within Hogwarts will he take him? Will they kiss? Will it be fluffy as heck??</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter/Tom Riddle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>146</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Tomarrymort Valentines Exchange 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>strawberry blossoms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/possessedTeaCup/gifts">possessedTeaCup</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Valentine’s Day was not on a Saturday this year. It wasn’t even on a Sunday, or a Friday - the fourteenth of February fell on a Wednesday! What was Tom supposed to do with that?? He had a perfect first date to plan, and the calendar itself was fighting against him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He guessed he could postpone the actual date till the Saturday afterwards and go to Hogsmeade, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>literally every other couple in the entire castle</span>
  </em>
  <span> had the same idea. Tom remembered naively heading out on the Hogsmeade weekend in February in third year and not being able to get a seat at any restaurant, bar, or other establishment for eating in the entire town. The Hog’s Head had been full, for Merlin’s sake. The place didn’t have any windows and it smelled like smoke and old beer and still there hadn’t been room to move an elbow. Tom wanted Harry to himself, thank you very much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom could take Harry on a date to somewhere Harry hadn’t been before within Hogwarts? That could be tough, as Harry was the only other person Tom knew who explored the castle as much as he did. Let’s see, the kitchen - nope, he definitely knew about that. Harry even mentioned offhandedly once that he had a house-elf friend working in the kitchens? The Prefect’s Bathroom would definitely be in use all day, and also Tom didn’t want any… implications on their first ever date. He’d wait till the second, obviously. The Room of Hidden Things? That wasn’t romantic, and Tom couldn’t see a way to make it romantic to be honest. Pity, that was a good secret. Maybe he could take Harry there later, just for fun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could set up a picnic - Harry loved the outdoors and the wind on his face. Tom had seen (read: obsessively watched) the Gryffindor’s lovely green eyes light up every time a pickup game of Quidditch was mentioned, and that wasn’t even mentioning Harry’s formidable prowess during actual matches, or his fondness for Hagrid’s Care of Magical Creatures classes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was February, and Tom was a firm believer in the value of noses staying attached to faces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After mulling the problem over for a bit, Tom set it aside in his head and picked up his syllabus for Ancient Runes. There, in neat copperplate print, lay the key to the puzzle - “Area-Wide Warming Wards.” Tom raised an eyebrow. That was convenient - now to check how long that topic would be covered… only a week, ending on Friday the 9th. He would definitely have these down pat by Valentine’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perfect. Location - check. He could set up the wards by the Black Lake and have a nice view.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, where to find flowers… </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-X-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harry was nervous. What did one wear to a date with Tom Riddle? A Weasley sweatshirt? His school uniform? His pointy black hat? Harry didn’t think the hat was right, but he was freaking out a little. He really wanted this date to go well! Tom had been so gallant, walking over to the Gryffindor table in the middle of dinner two weeks ago and tapping Harry on the shoulder. “Potter,” Tom had started in his smooth deep voice, then stopped. Shook his head a bit so his wavy hair shifted around his ears. “Harry. Would you do me the honor of going on a date with me this Valentine’s?” Harry, because he was not an idiot (don’t listen to Ron and Hermione), said yes. He’d been crushing on the guy for years, along with pretty much everyone else who was attracted to men at all. Harry’d even seen Ginny eyeing Tom up, and that girl was about as lesbian as it can get. She’d had Luna give her a buzzcut as soon as she made it to Hogwarts this past term. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Where was Harry going with this? Ah yes, Tom. What to wear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Neville?” He called out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neville’s head popped up from behind the screen of plants that had accumulated in his corner of the dorm. “Yeah, Harry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry blushed a little but straightened his shoulders. “What do you think I should wear on my date with Tom?” They were trying very hard not to make it weird, Neville and Harry. They had dated for a hot minute, when they both realized they were bi at the same time in fourth year, but then realized they were better off as friends. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neville looked considerate. “You still have that nice gray dress shirt from the Yule Ball, right? Wear that with slacks and your better pair of shoes and you should be good.” Shifting back behind the pots, he moved to re-pick up his watering can, then shot up again. “Oh! And don’t forget to wear the brown belt you stole from Cormac last year!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sighing, Harry reiterated his spiel. “I didn’t steal the belt, he left it behind in the locker room and when I went to return it he said it was too small for him.” Harry, who could feel Neville rolling his eyes at him, smiled as he grabbed the indicated clothes from his wardrobe. “Thanks, Nev! Don’t know what I’d do without you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron chimed in at this point, helpfully, “Fail Herbology, that’s for sure.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twat!” Harry threw his balled-up T-shirt at Ron, who ducked, laughing, before it could hit his face. “Fat lot of help you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I didn’t want to interrupt you as you’re getting ready for your date with Mister Pretty Cheekbones Riddle,” Ron retorted as he sat up and opened his Quidditch magazine again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fiddling with his belt, Harry ducked his head to hide his bright-red face. “You weren’t supposed to hear that,” he mumbled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron collapsed backward onto his bed and sighed dramatically. “And yet I did. And every day I suffer for it.” Giggles came from Neville’s direction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway!” Harry said loudly to head off any further remarks. “I’m heading downstairs. Don’t blow up the Tower before afternoon classes, everyone.” He closed the door behind him and leaned against it for just a second to catch his breath. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s just a first date. It’s going to be okay.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-X-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tom leaned against one of the stone archways along the entrance to the Great Hall and took deep breaths so he wouldn’t fidget with his scarf. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Everything’s going to go well, you’ve planned it all out. Also,</span>
  </em>
  <span> and here he glanced up and spotted Harry walking towards him from the nearest hallway. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You get to date that man, so. You’re starting way on the positive side of the column.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Harry had figured out how to manage his hair this past year, cutting the sides short and keeping the top long and unruly. Together with his thick rectangular glasses, muscled shoulders, and devastating smile, it added up to Harry being quite the catch. Not that he knew it himself - Harry was notorious for brushing off compliments and come-ons with said devastating smile. That’s why Tom made it extremely obvious that he wanted to date Harry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pushed himself off the wall and moved to meet his date, whose gray collared shirt complemented his green eyes nicely. “Hello, Harry. You look very handsome today.” And… there was the blush. Tom smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry looked up from underneath his lashes with a small grin and replied, “You’re looking pretty sharp yourself, Tom.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom had to pause for a second to regain his composure. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That amount of charm should be illegal. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Hopefully Harry wouldn’t notice the delay in his response. (Harry noticed.) “Well, today is a big day after all.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bouncing on his toes slightly, Harry stuck his hands in his pockets. “Where are you taking me, Tom? I couldn’t figure it out for the life of me - we aren’t going to Hogsmeade.” Tom shook his head. “Or to the kitchens? I know that’s where Katie and Angelina are going.” A negative, again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom was secretly pleased. The date location was a successful surprise. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re actually going to need a coat, we’re going outside.” Harry began to open his mouth, looking confused, but Tom spoke over him. “I didn’t want to tell you because then you might guess.” Tom raised an eyebrow at his date, who looked appropriately sheepish. “So I brought you a coat of mine to borrow…” Reaching into his expandable pocket, he drew out his second coat, which was thigh-length black wool, and handed it over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry put it on, looking slightly bemused. “Where are we going, Tom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bowing his head a little and turning, Tom offered Harry his elbow. “You’ll see.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-X-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harry sneaked glances at the man walking beside him when he thought he could get away with it. Yes, he had been excited to go on a date with Tom Riddle, but he hadn’t been sure what to expect, you know? Last year, Zach Smith had asked Daphne Greengrass out for a Valentine’s Day date, and all they did was sit at the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall while he tried to hand-feed her grapes. Daphne had been so pissed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t expected that kind of faux pas from Tom, but Harry was coming in to this completely blind - Tom hadn’t even told him to bring a coat, for Morgana’s sake! Not that Harry minded over much. The coat smelled like Tom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Apparently he glanced over to stare at Tom’s jawline one too many times, because the Slytherin caught him in the act. “Hey, you should be watching your feet, instead of the side of my face.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Too indignant to be embarrassed, Harry shot back, “What do you mean, watching my feet?! I haven’t stumbled once, you wanker - I’ll look at whatever I want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom grinned. “I believe I should be flattered.” </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Now</span>
  </em>
  <span> Harry blushed bright red. “I didn’t mean it like that!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking pity on him, Tom directed them a little to the right - they had been making their way across the Hogwarts lawn towards the lake, but now they headed towards a willow tree covered in snow. He made a grand, sweeping gesture with his free arm. “Sir, your castle awaits.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry made a show of staring at the tree, looking left and right, and blinking obviously. “If I take off my glasses will I see something different? I wouldn’t put it past you to pull something like this, Tom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom muffled a snort in his glove. “No, I’m not that bad. I just put a disillusionment charm on it. No one can see it right now, glasses or not.” Pulling out his wand and giving it a twist, he revealed a circular patch of… was that grass?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yes, it was grass in the middle of February, with a red-and-white checkered picnic blanket spread out with a basket and a small vase of daisies in the center. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry turned to Tom in astonishment. “How… Tom! You did this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a modest shrug, he admitted, “Warming wards were covered in Ancient Runes last week.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, so of course you learned them perfectly enough to actually use in a practical setting, how could I assume anything less?” Harry snarked back, walking over the boundary into a balmy summer’s day. He shucked his coat in the corner first thing, then stretched out his fingers to the transparent-blue boundary keeping in the heat. It vibrated at his touch. “Did you use a dodecahedron structure for this, or did you keep the traditional hexagon? I can’t tell at this small of a scale.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-X-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Behind his back, Tom gazed at Harry in amazement. “I know you don’t take Ancient Runes, because you would be in the same class as me and Granger. How..?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry glanced back at Tom with a wry twist to his lips. “I’m top of my class in Arithmancy, Tom - give me a little credit.” When Harry poked more insistently at the ward, Tom felt a slight tug in what felt like a string attached to his chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After removing his own coat and gloves, Tom stepped up beside Harry and spoke softly, so as not to break the moment. “I will admit, I thought Arithmancy was mostly focused on spell creation.” He clasped his hands behind his back to minimize the urge to touch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Harry murmured absentmindedly as he traced a strand of spellwork backwards and to the right, “For the most part we are talking about making spells and enchantments. But there’s more overlap between numbers and rune languages than you’d expect, and some enchantments overlap with wards in a fascinating way. For example,” and here Harry turned to face Tom, his green eyes bright with enthusiasm. “Did you know that in order to set up the mannequin at the entrance of St. Mungo’s they needed to create a selective silencing ward around it?” Eyes intent on Harry, who didn’t notice, too engrossed in his story, Tom moved closer. “When the mannequins were first placed, the ambient street noise meant they were constantly waking up and telling Muggles to step through the storefront. So now all similar enchantments come sold in a package with a ward only allowing the object to respond when it is directly addressed.” Tom brought his hand up. “It’s a devilish piece of work, too, the way they interact…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He kissed Harry, just a soft brush of lips while his hand cupped the other boy’s warm cheek. “I’m sorry for interrupting, but you are just so handsome when you’re being passionate.” Harry was still for a second, most likely processing. Tom stroked Harry’s cheek with his thumb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then Harry pressed forward, hand sliding up Tom’s shoulder to his neck and into his hair as he kissed Tom back. Chapped lips slid over each other as Tom took hold of Harry’s trim waist. One of them hummed in pleasure, Tom wasn’t quite sure who.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some time later, they sat on the blanket next to each other, Harry leaning into Tom’s side as he stole all the strawberries from Tom’s plate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know I’d give them to you if you just asked, right?” Tom half-joked. “This </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> a date and I got these foods for us to share.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry smiled mischievously up at him. “But it’s more fun this way! If you really mind it, I’ll stop. But you’re not going to ask me to stop, are you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom was not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grinning in victory, Harry swiped the last strawberry. However, instead of eating it, he began to meticulously pick each seed off of the berry’s surface and place it in a little pile in the corner of his plate. When he was done, he took several seeds in the palm of one hand and began to press them into the ground one by one, an inch or two apart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Tom asked, curious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry’s tongue poked out of the corner of his mouth as he focused on his task, which Tom found impossibly cute. “Just… wait one minute. You’ll see.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once Harry was satisfied with his seed placement, he withdrew his wand and held the tip over the first seed. He performed a wordless spell with a curl, a twist, and a flick, and the seed grew into a plant, flowered, and developed one perfect strawberry. Harry picked it and held it up in front of Tom’s lips cheekily. Tom bit into it, stunned. Harry continued on like what he’d done was an everyday thing, repeating the spell over the next two seeds before eating one of the newly-grown fruits for himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But by that point Tom had gathered his thoughts. Somewhat. “How… Harry. There is no single spell to do what you just did. Is there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope,” Harry responded as he continued down the short row. “Just the three normal spells for plant growth from seed, fruit plant flowering, and complete fruit development.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom’s free hand waved in the air with his frustration. “That’s not any better, Harry! The fruit development spell is notoriously energy-intensive. There’s no way you should be able to cast two of them in a row, nevermind,” he counted mentally. “Seven? Especially since I know you’ve already cast spells in class this morning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry’s answering smile was charmingly lopsided. “Well, I could just be ridiculously powerful and hiding it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom rolled his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh fine, I’ll tell you,” Harry capitulated with a sigh, then twisted around so his face was six inches from Tom’s. “But you’ve got to promise not to spread it around, all right? I like having an exceptional Herbology grade, and Sprout is one of the teachers you definitely want to be on the good side of. Deal?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom kissed the tip of Harry’s nose, and grinned when Harry went a little cross-eyed trying to watch him. “Deal.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry blinked once, twice, before his brain came back online. “So! Those three spells are rough on their own. But, if you chain them together…” he repeated the spell movement more slowly, so Tom could see some of the abbreviated motions for all three. “The spell cost is a fraction of what it is for all of them separately. Only if you chain them correctly, though - apparently professional Herbologists keep this pretty hush-hush, for job security.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom cocked his head, observing. “Huh. That does seem incredibly useful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry beamed up at him. “It is!” Looping his arm around Harry’s shoulders, Tom pulled the smaller boy into him as Harry continued to talk. “There are some things you just pick up after sharing a dorm with Neville Longbottom for years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ah, the Longbottom boy. Tom should have guessed. Neville had come to Hogwarts as a shy, nervous kid, but had grown up into a fairly good egg of a Gryffindor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom asked Harry about his roommates’ thoughts on potions class, and relaxed as the conversation washed over him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-X-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The walk back to Hogwarts happened in a comfortable quiet. Tom held Harry’s hand in his pocket, ostensibly to keep him warm. Harry grinned - it was very sweet of Tom to be so considerate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they got back to the castle, Harry let go of the other’s hand to slip off the coat and give it back. “Here you go.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom didn’t give him any time to be nervous or to worry - he took the coat with one hand and grabbed Harry’s shoulder with the other. “Harry, I really enjoyed our date today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Giving Tom a small smile, Harry nodded. “I enjoyed it as well.” He was aware that there were other people milling around the Entrance Hall, but he was mostly paying attention to Tom, who now had hold of Harry with both hands and was leaning in and </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh. Oh okay this is</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>and Tom covered Harry’s mouth with his own and Harry wasn’t thinking any more, sinking into the taller boy’s warmth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they stopped to breathe again, he blinked up at Tom, who was smiling charmingly down at him. “Harry, will you be my boyfriend? I’d love to take you on many other dates.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What else could Harry say but yes?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom’s resulting grin was breathtaking. He kissed Harry’s cheek, then the back of his hand before withdrawing. “We have to get to class now, but I’ll talk to you at dinner?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course! I’ll see you then!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ecstatic, Harry had to keep himself from skipping on his way to Defense. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Boyfriend!</span>
  </em>
  <span> This was the best Valentine’s Day date ever, hands down.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My assignment(s) included fluffy Hogwarts dating and possessive!Tom on Valentine's.<br/>This is the first fest fic I've ever done - hope you like it!! &lt;3 I had a ton of fun writing this.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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